Casing for electric-lamp sockets.



A. L. JACOBS.

CASING FOR ELECTRIC LAMP socxms.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

956,970. Y Patented May 3,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. J'ACOBS, OF.BOSTONQMASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO JENNIE M. JACOBS, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASING FOR ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Kay 3, 1910.

having means to lock said parts against relative rotation so that whenthe cap is screwed onto the fixture the stem of the socket key whichrojects through a slot provided in the shel may be set in any desiredangular relation with the fixture, this being accomplished solely byadjusting the cap parts with relation to each other without disturbingor interfering in any way with the connection between the cap and theshell, which connection may be of any standard construction which is agreat practical advantage.

Another advantage derived from this is that the socket and its casingmay be completely assembled on the fixture after which the socket keymay be positioned as desired by simply rendering the locking meansinoperative and rotating one of the cap parts on the other, after whichthe locking means is placed in operative position to lock the cap partsin relative rota-tion.

Still another advantage derived from this construction is that theunlocking and ad justing of the cap parts may be accomplished from theinside of the cap before the shell is attached thereto since the lockingmeans is accessible from the inside of the cap also, this being of greatadvantage where owing to the character of the fixture to which the capmay be attached the locking means maynot be accessible from the outsideof the cap.

Theinvention consists in the novel features of construction and inthe'combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of a socket casingembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. '3is a vertical sectional view of the cap of the casing taken on line 33of Fig. 1, lookin toward the left. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan 0 the cap ofthe casing.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughan the several views of thedrawings.

In the drawings, 5 is a socket shell which may be of any usual ordesired construction and to which a cap 6 formed in two principal parts7 and 8 may be attached 1n any usual or desired 'manner, the means ofattachment in this instance consisting of one or more protuberances 9projectin through corresponding apertures 10 )rovi ed in the part 8. Theshell 5 is provi ed with a usual slot 11 to receive the shank of the keyof the socket to which the casing may be applied.

The part 7 is provided with a neck or stem 12 having a screw-thread 13for securing the same to a fixture, not shown. When this neck is screwedfirml onto the fixture, it is desirable to set the key of the socket ina certain angular relation with the fixture and it, is to accomplishthis result that the cap is made in two principal arts 7 and 8 which arejournaled one on the other so as to be rotatably adjustable withrelation to each other. To this end, the part 8 is )rovided with anannular inwardly turned an e 14 and the part 7 is provided on one side 0said flange with a series of serrations 15 separated by spaces orindentations 1(3 and is preferably provided on the other side of saidflange with a projection or projections 17.- When the projections 17 areemployed, separation of the two parts 7 and 8 is impossible. I

The two parts 7 and 8 are provided with inter-engaging means to lock thesame against relative rotation and in the present instance this meansconsists of a movable and preferably resilient device 18 which normallyinter-engages with two of the serrations 15 thus positively locking theparts 7 and 8 against relative rotation. This derice is preferablysecured to the inner periphery of the part 8 and extends outwardlythrough an aperture 19 provided therein, its form and arrangement beingsuch as to permit it to be readily withdrawn from engagement with theserrations 15 to permit relative rotation of the parts 7 and 8, wherebythe shel 5 is also adjustable angularly with respect to the art 7 thuspermitting the slot It to he placed in any desired angular relabesecured. Thus it will be understood that key may be positioned asdesired by simply 'erly positioning the cap with relation toparticularly intended and adapted to be the adjustment of the shell 5with relation to the part 7 may be accomplished solely by adjusting thecap parts 7 and 8 with relation to each other without disturblngo-rinterfering in any way with the connection between the cap and the shellso that the socket and its casing may be completely assembled on thefixture after which the socket rendering the locking means 18inoperative and rotating the part8 on the part 7 until the socket key isbrought into the desired position, after which the locking dev1cel8, isreleased and allowed to snap into one of the notches or indentations 16thereby looking the cap parts against relative rotation. Thisconstruction has the advantage that it does not depend in any way on theconnection between the cap and shell and consequently any desiredconnection between the cap and shell may be employed. I

There are some cases where owing to the character of the fixture towhich the cap may be attached such for example as where the fixtureconsists of a husk the locking means may not be accessible from the outside of the cap and in such cases the cap will be screwed ontothefixture after which the unlocking and adjusting of the cap parts will beaccomplished from the inside of the cap before the shellis attachedthereto.

It will be observed that the locking device 18 is secured to the part 8in such a relation with the protuberances 9 that said device when thecap isassembled with the shell will always be located between the twosides of the slot-ll so that it is always possible to tell by looking atthe locking device the position in which the socket key will stand whenthe shell is afterward attached to the cap. Furthermore, as a provisionfor propthe shell so that the protuberances 9 shall register with andenter the apertures 10, I provide suitable means located between the,sides of theslot 11 andwhich in this instance consists of projections 20formed on the device 18, the ends of these projections being spaced'asuflicient distance from the sides of the'slots so as to permit theshell 5 to be sprung inwardly in a well known manner to release theprotuberances 9 from the apertures 10 in which they are located.

they, are first co-axially arranged with the projections 20 locatedbetween the sides of the slot 11 and the cap and shell are then pushedtoward each'other thus causing the protuberances 9 to pass into the capand snap into the apertures 10.

The casing hereinbefore described, while used'as a casing for electriclamp sockets, is not necessarily limited to such use nor do 1 limitmyself to the particular construction ,herein shown except where suchlimitations are expressed in the claims.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to se cure, is:'

l. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts having interengaging means constructed to be moved into and out ofinterengagement with each other, whereby said parts may be lockedagainst relative rotation.

2. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts rotatably mounted one on the other and having pro vision to lockthe same against relative rotation in opposite dH'GCiSlODS 3. A socketcasing having, iii combination,

a shell, and a "cap in two parts rotatably mounted one on the otherandhaving means to lock the same against relative rotation in oppositedirections and prevent separation of said parts.

4. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a ca in twopartsone of which is provided wit and the other of which carriesm'eanstoenter said indentations tolock said parts against relative rotation.

5. A socket casing having, in combination,-

a shell, and a cap in two parts one of which 1 is provided with a seriesof indentations and resilient means 'on the other of said parts to entersaid indentations thereby to lock said parts against relative rotation.

6. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts one of which is provided with a seriesiof indentations and theother of which carries means 'to enter said indentations to lock saidparts against relative rotation, and means to preprovided with anannular flange and the other. of which is journaled thereon and isprovided with two series of serrations located on opposite sides,respectively, of said.

flange and means'to-engage serrations of one oi said series to lock saidparts against relative rotation.

9. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in two partsone of which is provided with an annular flange and the other of whichis journaled thereon and is provided with two series ofserrationslocated on opposite sides, respectively, of said flange, and yieldingmeans on one of said parts to engage said serrations on the other aseries of indentations part to lock said parts against relativerotation.

10. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts one of which is provided with an annular flange and the other ofwhich isjournaled thereon and is provided with two projections one oneach side of said flange, and means to lock said parts against relativerotation.

11. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts one of which is provided with an annular flange and the other ofwhich is journaled thereon and is provided with a'series of indentations, and means to enter said indentations to lock said parts againstrelative rotation.

'12. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts one of which is provided with an"inwardl v turned annular flangeand the other of which is journaled thereon and is provided with outwardly turned projections engagingopposite .sidcs, respectively, of saidflange, and means to lock said parts against relative rotation.

13. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in two partsrotatably mounted one on the other, and means to lock said parts againstrelative rotation in 0pposite directions.

ll. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in two partsrotatably mounted one on the other and one of which is provided with aseries of indentations, and means to enter said indentations to locksaid parts against relative rotation.

15. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, acap in two parts,and means to lock said parts against rotation in any one of a seriesof'difi'erent positions.

16. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in two partsone of which is provided with a series of indentations, andresilientmeans to enter said indentations to lock said parts against rotation inany one of a series. of different positions.

17. A socket casing having, in comhination, a shell, a cap in two parts,and means to lock said parts against relative rotation and to positionsaid parts as to rotative movement with relation to said shell.

18. A. socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in twoparts, means to look saidparts against relative rotation and to positionsaid parts as to rotative move ment with relation to said shell, andmeans to normally lock said shell and cap against longitudinalseparation.

19. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell,,a cap in two parts,and means to lock said parts against relative rotation and lock saidparts against rotative movement with relation to said shell.

20. A socket casing having, in combination, a cap intwo parts, a shellprovided with a lateral slot, and means to lock said parts againstrelative rotation, said means being located in said slot.

21. A socket casing having, in combination, a cap in two parts, a shellprovided with a lateral slot, means to lock said parts against relativerotation, said means being located in said slot, and other means to locksaid shell and cap against longitudinal separation.

22. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts having interengaging means to lock said parts against relativerotation at a plurality of predetermined points.

23. A socket casing having, in combination,'a shell, and a cap in twoparts rotatably mounted one on the other and having provision to lockthe same against relative rotation at a plurality of predeterminedpoints.

24. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, and a cap in twoparts rotatably mounted one on the other and having means to lock thesame against. relative rotation at a plurality of predetermined pointsand prevent longitudinal separation of said parts.

25. A socket casing having, in combination, a shell, a cap in twopartsrotatably mounted one on the other, and means to lock 'said partsagainst relative rotation at a plurality of predetermined points.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR L. JACOBS. \Vitnesses:

Louis A. Jones, Same V. McOAn'rnY.

